Controlled temperature bait bucket

ABSTRACT

A controlled temperature bait bucket which includes, generally a small inner container with an insulated bottom and heat conducting sides within a large outer insulated bucket. The bucket is divided into two compartments by the container. The bait which is to be maintained at a controlled temperature is placed within the container, and the two compartments of the bucket are filled with a cooling agent. Fixed heat transfer means between the upper compartment and the container achieve initial cooling to optimum bait survival temperature and a manually controlled variable heat transfer means provides variable rate of heat transfer between the lower compartment and the container to maintain this temperature.

United States Patent White [151 3,654,773 [451 Apr. 11,1972

[54] CONTROLLED TEMPERATURE BAIT BUCKET [72] Inventor: John D. White,923 Valley Ridge Drive, Birmingham, Ala. 35209 [22] Filed: Aug. 31, 1970[2]] Appl. No.: 68,408

[52] U.S. Cl ..62/371, 62/457, 62/383 [51 1 Int. Cl ..F25d 3/08 [58]Field ofSearch ..62/372,37l,457,383

[5 6] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,186,418 6/l9l6 Mischo..62/457 2,216,202 10/1940 Lake ....62/37l 2,673,454 3/1954 Gallie..62/371 Primary Examiner-William J. Wye

[57] ABSTRACT A controlled temperature bait bucket which includes,generally a small inner container with an insulated bottom and heatconducting sides within a large outer insulated bucket. The bucket isdivided into two compartments by the container. The bait which is to bemaintained at a controlled temperature is placed within the container,and the two compartments of the bucket are filled with a cooling agent.Fixed heat transfer means between the upper compartment and thecontainer achieve initial cooling to optimum bait survival tem peratureand a manually controlled variable heat transfer means provides variablerate of heat transfer between the lower compartment and the container tomaintain this tem perature.

7 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures CONTROLLED TEMPERATURE BAIT BUCKET Thisinvention relates, in general, to improved controlled temperature baitbuckets.

It can be demonstrated that shrimp and other types of fish bait can bekept alive much longer at one specific optimum temperature for each typeof bait. This temperature is generally lower than the surrounding waterfrom which the bait is taken. The lower temperature reduces the baitsmetabolism processes and, if the temperature is properly controlled, thebait can be kept alive for an unusually long length of time.

There are numerous different types of bait buckets available, however,only one of them has any means for regulating the temperature of thebait chamber.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,452,469 to White disclosed a two-compartment containerwith a shutter arrangement on the top of both inner and outer containersto regulate the heat transfer from coolant to bait and from bait toatmosphere. The bait is placed in the top compartment and ice is placedin the bottom compartment. Heat transfer is controlled by regulating theshutters on the top of each compartment. This bait bucket has a numberof moving parts and is relatively expensive to manufacture.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide improvedcontrolled temperature bait buckets.

Another object is to provide improved bait buckets having a constructionwhereby the temperature for the environment for the bait can be quicklyachieved and can be maintained within an optimum temperature range forpreserving the bait.

Still another object is to provide improved bait buckets of moresimplified design and construction which can be inexpensivelymanufactured and assembled.

A still further object is to provide improved bait buckets having aconstruction whereby the rate of heat transfer from the bait containerto the coolant container can be more easily regulated to maintain thetemperature of the bait within the optimum range for keeping the baitalive for a longer period of time.

Other objects of the invention will in part be obvious and will in partappear hereinafter.

The above objectives are accomplished with a controlled temperaturebucket which includes, generally, bait container with an insulatedbottom and heat conducting sides within a large outer insulated bucket.The volume of the bucket not occupied by the bait container consists oftwo compartments to hold coolant. The two compartments within the bucketare filled with ice, dry ice, or other coolant, and the objects whichare to be maintained at a controlled temperature are placed in thecontainer. Initial cooling is achieved by fixed rate of heat transferbetween the sides of the container and the coolant in the uppercompartment of the bucket. After initial cooling, the rate of heattransfer to the bucket from the container is regulated by manuallypositioning the container within the bucket so as to control the openingbetween the lower and upper compartments of the bucket. In this fashion,the temperature of the objects can be maintained substantially constantfor relatively long periods of time.

The invention accordingly comprises an article of manufacture possessingthe features, properties, and the relation of elements which will beexemplified in the article hereinafter described and the scope of theinvention will be indicated in the claims.

For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention,reference should be had to the following detailed description taken inconnection with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a controlled temperaturebucket or bait bucket exemplary of the present invention;

F IG. 2 is a sectional view of the controlled temperature bait bucket;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along lines 3-3 of FIG. 2 illustratingthe configuration of the lower cavity of the large container.

Similar reference characters refer to similar throughout the severalviews of the drawing.

Referring now to the drawing, in FIG. 1, there is shown a controlledtemperature bucket or bait bucket 10, hereinafter referred to generallyas the bucket 10, having a large bucket 12, which is preferably mouldedof an expanded plastic such as polystyrene, cellulose acetate or thelike. The large bucket 12 has an annular thickened portion 14 about itstop for additional strength and advantageously may have a pair ofdiametrically opposed arcuate shaped flanges 16 having apertures 18therein for receiving a rope 20 for carrying the bucket 10. The ends ofthe rope 20 are extended through the apertures 18 and a knot (not shown)is tied in the ends thereof for securing the rope to the bucket. Thebucket is fitted with a top 36 having a convenient handle 38 andattached to the bucket by the rope 20 through a hole 40 in a yoke 42.

An inner container 22 of sheet metal or of plastic such as polyethyleneis removably contained, and free to rotate within the outer bucket 12.The outside diameter of the container 22 substantially corresponds tothe inside diameter of the larger bucket 12, however, it issubstantially shorter in length so as to provide a coolant compartment24 below and within the large container 12. The cross-sectional area ofthe smaller container 22 is a segment of a circle, thereby providingadditional coolant capacity in the complimentary circular segmentcross-sectional area utilized as coolant compartment 26 within the largecontainer 12.

The cross-sectional area of the bottom insulation 28 of the container isa segment of a circle whose diameter conforms substantially to theinside diameter of the large container 12 in which it fits snugly. Thecross-sectional area of the lower compartment 24 is likewise a segmentof a circle. The complimentary circular segment cross-sectional areashelf 30 of the large bucket 12 consists of expanded plastic, which canbe moulded integrally as part of the body of the large container or canbe moulded separately as a shelf-like disk (not shown) and affixed to acircular cross-section bucket by a suitable adhesive or by mechanicalmeans.

Thus the bottom 28 of the container 22 which can be rotated within thebucket 12 and the shelf 30 in the bucket 12 form a shutter to controlthe rate of heat transfer from the bait container compartment 34 throughthe heat conducting side 32 to the coolant in the lower compartment 24.

By use of the handle 25, the container 22 can be rotated within thebucket 12 and the size of the opening between the heat conducting side32 and the coolant compartment 24 can be adjusted for any desiredposition from full open to full closed. The rate of heat transfer iscontrolled thereby. A thermometer 27 is provided to aid in setting thedesired shutter opening.

To use the bucket 10, the container 22 is positioned within the budget12 so that the shutter is open and the compartments 24 and 26 are filledwith ice cubes or other solid coolants. The compartment 34 of thecontainer 22 is partially filled with water at atmospheric temperature(75 F. more or less) and the bait is placed in the container 22.

The size of the upper compartment 26 has been computed to holdsufiicient coolant to reduce the temperature of the water within thecontainer 22 to approximately 57 F. under average conditions. After allthe ice in the upper cavity 26 has melted, the resultant water flowsinto the lower cavity 24. The water in the container compartment 34 isfurther reduced in temperature or maintained at the desired temperatureby adjusting the shutter opening formed between the bottom insulation 28of the container 22 and the shelf 30 in the bucket 12.

In a particular application, four dozen shrimp were placed in water inthe bait compartment 34 and compartments 24 and 26 of the bucket 12 werefilled with ice. The temperature of the water and the shrimp was reducedto and substantially maintained at approximately 57 F. by positionallyadjusting the container 22 to regulate the rate of heat transfer fromthe water in the bait compartment 34 to the ice. The shrimp werepreserved for 3 days in this fashion.

parts The bucket 12 can have a capacity of 8 quarts and, in such case,the container 22 preferably has a capacity of 3 quarts. The bucket 10,therefore, is generally of a size presently used, and is easily carried.

it may be further noted that although the bucket 10 makes an excellentbait bucket, its use is not limited to such an application, for itsprinciple of operation can be used to maintain any object which isplaced therein at a substantially controllable temperature. Accordingly,in broad concept, it is a controlled temperature bucket.

It will thus be seen that the objects set forth above, among those madeapparent from the preceding description, are efficiently attained and,since certain changes may be made in the above article without departingfrom the scope of the invention, it is intended that all mattercontained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawingshall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Now that the invention has been described, I claim:

1. A controlled temperature bucket adapted to retain heat absorbingmeans such as a coolant and objects such as fish bait or other articlesfor controlling the temperature of said objects for a period of timecomprising in combination: an outer insulated bucket having a lid forclosing it; said bucket including shelf means positioned between top andbottom of said bucket and projecting from the side of said bucket; aninner container having heat conducting sides and an insulated bottomsubstantially co-extensive with the cross-sectional area of said bucketat the uppermost portion of said shelf; means for holding said containerwithin said bucket with said container being adjustable positionablywith respect to said shelf so as to provide an adjustable heat transferopening between the lower portion of said bucket and the upper portionof said bucket.

2. The controlled temperature bucket of claim 1 wherein thecross-sectional area of said shelf defines a segment of a circle andwherein the bottom of said inner container defines the circular segmentcomplementary with that of said shelf.

3. The controlled temperature bucket of claim 1 wherein the means forholding said container in said bucket consists of a lip at the top ofsaid container along its circular perimeter which engages the top ofsaid bucket.

4. The controlled temperature bucket of claim 1 wherein the bucket iscomprised of a foamed plastic and the shelf is comprised of a foamedplastic moulded integrally with the bucket.

5. The controlled temperature bucket of claim 1 wherein the bucket iscomprised of a foamed plastic and the shelf is comprised of rigidinsulation in the form of a circular segment disk affixed to the side ofthe bucket by an adhesive.

6. The controlled temperature bucket in claim 1 wherein said innercontainer is moulded of a rigid plastic.

7. The controlled temperature bucket in claim 1 wherein the said innercontainer is constructed of sheet metal.

1. A controlled temperature bucket adapted to retain heat absorbingmeans such as a coolant and objects such as fish bait or other articlesfor controlling the temperature of said objects for a period of timecomprising in combination: an outer insulated bucket having a lid forclosing it; said bucket including shelf means positioned between top andbottom of said bucket and projecting from the side of said bucket; aninner container having heat conducting sides and an insulated bottomsubstantially co-extensive with the cross-sectional area of said bucketat the uppermost portion of said shelf; means for holding said containerwithin said bucket with said container being adjustable positionablywith respect to said shelf so as to provide an adjustable heat transferopening between the lower portion of said bucket and the upper portionof said bucket.
 2. The controlled temperature bucket of claim 1 whereinthe cross-sectional area of said shelf defines a segment of a circle andwherein the bottom of said inner container defines the circular segmentcomplementary with that of said shelf.
 3. The controlled temperaturebucket of claim 1 wherein the means for holding said container in saidbucket consists of a lip at the top of said container along its circularperimeter which engages the top of said bucket.
 4. The controlledtemperature bucket of claim 1 wherein the bucket is comprised of afoamed plastic and the shelf is comprised of a foamed plastic mouldedintegrally with the bucket.
 5. The controlled temperature bucket ofclaim 1 wherein the bucket is comprised of a foamed plastic and theshelf is cOmprised of rigid insulation in the form of a circular segmentdisk affixed to the side of the bucket by an adhesive.
 6. The controlledtemperature bucket in claim 1 wherein said inner container is moulded ofa rigid plastic.
 7. The controlled temperature bucket in claim 1 whereinthe said inner container is constructed of sheet metal.